It was the last night of October, the rain had stopped earlier in the evening, and Church Street was closed between Gloucester and Wood streets. It was ‘Halloween on Church’, an annual street party filled with costumes on display wanting to be seen and other people wanting to see and take pictures. These photos represent only a small selection of what there was to be seen that night (obviously!).

below: A one night stand to remember

below: Glowing red and green

below: Japanese ghouls, dressed to kill?

below: White man on keyboard.

below: A group of people went as the 3D Toronto sign.

below: More playing with lights, this time as stick people.

below: Looking at instagram in a new light, from a different point of view.

below: With a doll and a lit candle

below: With a doll and a dog.

below: This one is for Jude, something about wanting to take this one home with her…..

below: Looking northwest at the intersection of Yonge Street and St. Clair Avenue West where seven large collages by Daniel Mazzone dominate the corner.

below: On the right, James Dean. It’s difficult to see in this photo, but there are some pink letters on either side of his face. On the left it says “Dream as if you’ll live forever”. On the right is says, “Live as if you will die today”.

below: She repeats. This woman is at the two ends. As far as I can tell, the only difference is the colour of the pattern in the background. On St. Clair it’s purple while it’s red on Yonge. Superman is on her forehead and, in fact, most of the pieces that are used in this artwork are from Superman comics.

below: Charlie Chaplin above the bus shelter. Many of the images used to create the face are also pictures of Charlie Chaplin.

below: Love sees no colour, with Michael Jackson above Yonge Street.

below: “Looking for Beauty” by Daniel Mazzone. Does she see any? There are a few Supermans here too, especially in her face. “Splow” is written in green on her neck.

ZimSculpt is the name of the exhibit now on at Edwards Gardens. Placed around the gardens are a large number of stone sculptures by Zimbabwean artists. There are also small pieces on display inside a tent-like structure near the parking lot. All items are for sale along with some baskets and jewellery. Here are some of the sculptures:

below: Giving Advice by Boet Nyariri, carved in springstone

below: (after the garden was watered!), Mother and Son, by Joe Mutasa, carved in springstone.

Graffiti Alley keeps drawing me back to see if there are any changes. What is new and what has disappeared. To see who is hanging out in the lane today and have a silent chuckle or two at the tourists.

below: Sunny days in Graffiti Alley

below: Let’s Eat Sandwiches Together Forever, by elicser, seems to have been refreshed recently.

below: He’s pointing to the sky because he’s giving us a detailed weather forecast.

below: The last time that I walked down Graffiti Alley, elicser was in the midst of painting this door.

below: Hello!

below: Montreal and Toronto and the writing in between.

below: A lovebot of a different sort. Almost unrecognizable except for that heart. Only lovebot has a heart like that.

below: A large carp painted by Nick Sweetman. A fish out of water.

below: Broken window

below: Pink roses and words of love and encouragement (and a little bit of flattery). The future is bright and do more of what makes you happy.

below: A new poser bunny at Portland Place

below: Toronto Blue Jays vs. stencils are wack

below: Walking past the praying mantis which is memorial to Jesse.

below: Rat and a spray paint can can’t keep the eyes in their heads.

below: Unfortunately, part of the uber5000 wintertime Toronto mural has been tagged over.

below: Honk! honk! An uber5000 yellow bunny offers a donut

below: Starbursts (or flowers, or just interesting shapes) in pink and yellow

below: The elephant isn’t in the room, it hasn’t made it down the stairs yet.

below: A collaboration between immortalwales and kyleghostkeeper. Both are tattoo artists and they both have instagram accounts if you are interested in seeing their work.

It’s early April and we’re all tired of winter but it lingers on. How are you coping? Yes, you!

below: Is this wishful thinking? or maybe just a little too optimistic?

below: Spring is in the air? They forgot the question mark. Is the cat reacting to the disconnect between the sign and the reality? … or maybe its expression is because it’s just realized that it’s sitting beside a book about Justin Trudeau?

These were the only signs of spring that I saw yesterday as I walked although I noticed that someone was trying to cheer things up. Not sure how long these have been sitting outside. They’re looking a little weather worn and grubby. Hope may be wearing a bit thin?

below: Elsewhere yellow birdies were playing hockey.

Spring was elusive but what I did spot were a couple of stikmen that I don’t remember seeing before. I also noticed more smiley hearts popping up in unexpected places again. First, some of the hearts…

below: Cool Woodstock makes an appearance too (a yellow birdie of a different kind). I don’t think she’s too happy to have a bird sitting on her head.

below: The guitar player is now playing with heart.

And the stikmen….

below: Instead of wooden, this stikman is a drawing in a frame.

below: Is that a little orange head of a stikman in the bent frame?

….. and then back inside for some warmth!

I will leave you with one last look at a window full of yellow chicks and Easter bunnies, hope for spring (Hope springs eternal? Hopes of spring are eternal?).

Today’s blog features Paul Estrela Lane which runs for one block on the northside of the Danforth ending at Woodbine Avenue. Some of the garages and fences have been painted with bright and cheerful murals. There are quite a few paintings considering the fact that the lane is only one block long. Here they are…..

below: A mural by mediah and the CBS crew.

below: Another contribution from the CBS crew but this time in collaboration with kanos, a French artist, from Paris. More of his work can be seen under ikanografik on instagram.

below: A warm summer day by the surf.

below: Toothy grins and googly eyes, coloured monster faces all squished together to completely cover the back of this building. It is the work of monicaonthemoon.

below: Listening to music as her orange and pink hair blows in the wind, by Kim

below: Marine life swimming in the laneway, an octopus with orange eyes looking at you, and what I think is a squid on the left. Painted by kittzen.

below: Japanese characters painted by Tokyo. Hint to street artists – if you want to be found, your moniker should be something that doesn’t bring up millions of unrelated hits on a search engine. Any ideas about what he might be saying?

below: And last, partially obscured by the car, a profile in shades of blue in front of a cat with marvelous green eyes.